$500K Fix Proposed to Keep Downtown Streets Lights On

The streetlights in downtown Waukesha were out for more than a week, and a permanent fix could cost the city $500,000.

The Waukesha Police Department found the lights out in downtown at 2:30 a.m. Feb. 6. While power was restored to the majority of the area, these streets were left in the dark until Feb. 15:

• Clinton Street between Main Street and Wisconsin Avenue
• Main Street between Clinton Street and West Broadway
• West Broadway between Madison/Clinton and Wisconsin Avenue
• South Street between Main Street and Broadway
• Parking lot 4

The city worked with WE Energies to replace a 40-year-old transformer in the area, but it appears that won’t be enough in the future. The Finance Committee will take up a $500,000 emergency funding request to upgrade the lighting system in downtown Waukesha.

“The viability of our downtown depends on our citizens feeling safe about walking and driving around the downtown area,” states a city memo. “Citizens must feel safe about parking their cars on streets and walking to businesses at night. The street light system (wiring, conduits, pull boxes and transformers) in the downtown is very old and in disrepair. Unfortunately we may experience similar incidents in the future if we do not take corrective actions.  The entire system must be upgraded to minimize future failures.”